Package-ejecting mechanism for vending machines



Sept. 23, 1930. w. F. BERNART, JR 1,776,452

PACKAGE EJECTING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed April 1926 5Sheets$heet l ATTOR e t 23, 1930. B RNART. JR 1,776,462

PACKAGE EJECTING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed April 9 1,926 5Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Sept. 23, 1930. w. F. BERNART, JR 1,776,462

PACKAGE EJECTING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed April 9, 1926 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR wmim (5 iwr/namhjz.

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' v ATTORNEY Patenteel Sept. 23, 1930 UNITED fsTA E PATENT OFFICE IVWILLIAM F. .BERNART, JR/"10F PAWTUCKET, RHODE'ISLAND, ass enoa To PACKsnors, INC.,1OF NEW YoaK, N. Y., a CORPORATION OF NEW YORK rnoxnen nanorme micnnnis vi non VENDING MACHINES A ears]. filed aprne, 1926.Serial No. 100,963..

The invention relates in general to a coin control manually actuatedvending machine ofthe type intended for use in vending differentarticles of manufacture and the invention specifically relates: to aremovable and replaceable unit containing all of the 'Jmechanism forejectingthe package. The present disclosureconstitutes a furtherdeavelopment of the-invention disclosed in" the applications of LandonC. Manning being Serial No. 66,906. filed November 5,1925, and SerialNo. 71,599,filed November 27, 1925.

The primary object in this application as was the case in applicationNo. 66,906 is to provide a simplified form. of coin controlled andmanually actuated package ejecting mechanism and 1 the presentdisclosure disitinguishes from this (go-pending applicationin'thatlitifeatures areduction in the number of necessary partswhich goto make up the completed structure. Furtherpthe present disclosurefeatures the rovidin of astand- .ardized unit adapted tobe assembledwith other similar units to form the completed vending machine; isdesigned to withstand rough usage isdesigned sothat the manual forceactuating the control handle istransmitted directly to the packageejecting element of the mechanism: without passing therefore thisdisclosureis to be regarded more: particularly as another and moresimplified embodnnentiof the inventions defined in the above identifiedcopending applications.

Various other. objects and advantages of theinvention :will beobviousfrom an in-- spection of, the accompanying drawings andinpartwill be'inore fully setforth in the followingparticular;description of one form of device embodying my invention, andthe invention also consists inlcerta in new and" novel featuresfofconstruction and combinaof the package ejecting mechanisms constitutinga preferred embodiment of the present invention; 7

Fig.2 is a'view in front elevation of the replacement unit as disclosedwhen the portion ofxthe mechanism enclosing casing shown in Fig. 1 isremoved;

. Fig. 3is a view in rear elevation of the unit shown in F 1g. 2;

Fig. 4 is a View in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1 asviewed from the left side of Fig. 2, with parts of the casing brokenaway to show internal construction and with the parts in position justafter the actuator has been moved slightly on its actuating stroke and II Fig.5 is a view similar to Fig. twith certain parts omitted and withthe adjacentside plate removed to show the actuatorinfull lines in. itsnormal inoperative position, and i in dotted lines showing the same atthe end of its actuating stroke.

, In the drawingsand referring'specificall to Figs. 1 and, there isdisclosed a mechanism containing casing 10 providedwithan inset faceplate 11 preferablyin the form of a stamping with an arcuate rear side12 corresponding to a closing element hereinafter de scribed. The faceplate is provided with an L-shaped slot 13 including an upper broadportion 14:.designed when the device is inits inoperative position toprovide access to a coin slot 15 carried by a swinging actuator 16 hereinafter described. The slot 13 also includes along vertically extendingportion 17 which provides a guideway for a handle 18 projectingtherethrough from the actuator16. The

' actuator is provided on its forward side with a curved flanged guardplate 19 concentrically disposed relative to theaxis of swing of the ofthe lower part of the face scribed. 'structed are-identicallyalike sothat they may be standardized and: made interchangeable rear side 12 andremove the coin slot back plate'and thus prevent access to the slot. 7

he unit includes package ejecting mecha- IliSl'll which is enclosedwithin a frame comfor loosely pivoting the lower end of a pack-"* ageejecting arm hereinafter more fully de- The side plates as originallyconwith each other and with the side plates of the similar units in thecomplete vending machine. These plates are preferably formed of pressedmetal each providedwith a large enibossment '26. andtherebelow with asmall horseshoe shaped embossment 26 both de signed to give strength tothe plates and thus 7 permit the use of relatively thin sheet metal wardto receive an electric magnet 39 and other parts'of the mechanism housedwithin the frame. Each of the plates is provided. on its front edge withlaterally turned hanging brackets 27 and 28 which are designed to hehung on pins 29iprojecting from the casing 10. From this construction itis appreciated.

that the unit as a whole may be simply hung in its proper position inthe casing and in this way the ready replacement of a damaged unit or adifferent'size unit may" be obtained."

- Each of the plates isprovided atits upper edge witha readilyreplaceable L-shaped' bracketl30 conventionally secured by its dependingflange 31'to the'outside of the adjacent plate. The other flange 32 ofthe bracket isinturnedin the instant case but may be outturn'ed wherealarge size package is to to providethe bottom of a reservoir 33 forcontaining the packages P to be vended as shown in Fig. 4.1 The packagesupport :pro-

'vide'd by theseinturned flanges 32 are slight ly spaced apart as shownin 3 so as'to permitthe passage therethrough of the upper end of theejector-arm25 and itsassociatedparts.

is a pivot .pin 34 on which is pivotally suspended the actuator 16. Thisactuator comprises a vertically hanging thin metal plate 35 to one sideof which and adjacent its upper edge the handle 18 is secured and to aforwardly projecting frontedgeof which the guard plate'l9is secured. Toone side andadjacent. the upper: edge o f the plate 35 are;

secured a pair of coin guiding strips 36 and 37 coacting to provldetherebetween an inwardly and downwardly inclined co n pas sageway .38leading from the slot 1 5' at its outer end towards coin stops adjacentthe lower inner corner of the plate. 35. This coin belowthe innerdischarge end of the passageway 38 and in position to receive the propercoin C (see Fig.4) discharged therefrom is, a connector 40 for couplingthe actuator 16 with the ejector arm 25. This connector is in the formof ajbell crank lever and includes a long horizontally extending arm 40pivotally mounted adjacent one of its ends on .a "pin llprojecting'laterally; from the plate 35. "The upstanding arm of theconnector adjacent thepivotal mounting is proavi'ded with avcoinst-opping pin 42 and the propericoin C is intended following theinitial movement of the handle 8 to fitbetween the pin 42. the roundedlower edge 53, and a fixed .stop' 43' secured to the side ofthe plate35.

The upper'edge of this'relativefixed'stop 43 constitutes a guide forassisting the coin as" it is discharged from the passageway 38 to fallinto position and engagethe pin 42am therethrough control the connector.

' The plate 35 is provided with an arcuate slot 44 spaced from butconcentric with the axis of-rotationxof the actuator about its pivotalmounting-provided by the pin 34.

the. propercoin is inserted there is "no positive connection between thee ector arm and The slot provides-a support for a pin 4C5 extendingtransversely through and in turn providinga sup portfor the ejector arm25. It is understood that'normally and evenwh-en, be vendedQ In eithercase these fiangescoact llO.

the actuator for the coin is not heavy enough .to swing the connector. vAssumingfthat the coin has not yet been forced into position to lift theconnector into operative position as hereinafter"described, the movementofthe finger 46' which normally is disposedfto rest on a support 47formed atthe lower edge of I .thefplate 35as sliownin Fig. 5. -Wlfenthus disposed the connector is in position so that the upper edge of,the finger46 when swung swam will be clear of and pass beneath the pin45. Assuming; that the proper coin C which initially rests on top of thetwo point support provided by the pin 42'and stop 43 as shown iaFig. '5has been forced against the pin 42 and'stop' 753 "by the advancing stop43 the connector willbe swung and the hook end provided by the finger 46will be swung from the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5 and elevatedinto the position shown in Fig. 4

this coupling the actuator With the ejector arm through its supportingpin 45.-

The ejector arm 25 comprises a fiat plate 48 with its edges turned atrightangles to pro- 'vide side flanges 48" the lower ends of each ofwhich are bifurcated as shown at 49, Fig. 4,

and. looselystraddle the lowermost spacing bolt 23. This connectorprovides a fioating pivotal connection withthe lower end of the ejectorarm but the arm is free not only to rockabout the bolt 23 as a centerbut is also a free to move logitudinally, that is vertically, for alimited distance. It is apparent that the ejector arm is not supportedfrom the pin 23 about which it rocks but is supported by'the engagementof the pin 45 inthe slot 44.

Pivotally mounted between the flanges 48 attheir upper ends is a'packageengaging tripping finger 50 designed in its operative movement to engagethe lowermost package LP iii-the reservoir 33 and move the same off thesupport provided by the flanges 32- of the brackets as indicated in Fig.5. Theifinger 50 has a relatively long, heavy, "depending tail portion51. which tends to maintain the part 50 in "tended to engage the packagenormally in upstanding position when clear "ot the packages but whichwill permit the finger to be turned HDtI-ClOCliWlSQlIltO position toslide under the packages n thereservoir in its return movement from leftto right in 5 to its normal position after having ejected ;a packagefrom the reservoir.

' It isa'feature of this disclosure that the ejecting finger 50 passesacross the bottomof the reservoir in a linesubstantially parallel to the.seat provided by the flanges 32and that during the ejecting strokethe-finger 50 is below the next adjacent package in the stack. Thismovement is attained by a definite designing of the s ot 44in such waythat the rotary movement of the actuator about its fpivotalconnection-34 will cause a; straight line movement of thekfinger 50after ithas engaged the lo iern'iostjpackage LP; It is apparent that ifthe ej ector arm was mounted to swing about a fiXed aXis at the pin 34whichlis centered below the supp'ort'32-the upper end would describe anelevating are across the top of the support. .However thepurve of theslot 44 is downward or in the reverse direction, thearm as a whole isloweredon the bolt 23 as the upper end with vthe'finger 50 is advancedacross the package j the pivotal pin support. The configurationv of theslot in its relation to the pivot 34 and the length of the support maybe worked out experimentally or mathematically following conventionalpractices in designing cam construe tions. There is therefore providedin cifect a pin and slot form of camn'iing means which will translate arotary movement of the, ac-

tuator about its fixed support into a straight,

linear movement of the package engaging iiii 'er 50 in its movements inboth directions across the package support.

V ith the advance of the coin C from its initial position filledbetweenthe stops therefore shown in Fig. 4 into its final operativeposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 it is guided between guid'ewayforming plates and 53 attached to the side plate 20 by conventionalfastening means 54. The plate 53 is provided with a stop edge 55disposed in the path of and against which abuts the coin C when theactuator approaches the end of its inoveinent as shown in F hand thisforces the coin downwardly and out of the medium.

The pin 42 at the end of its travel engages the bolt 22 and thisinterengagement tips the connector and swings the same clockwise fromits position engaging the ejector arm and positively returns theconnector into its initial lowered position engaging the stop 47. i

The ejector arm is positively moved in its retreat to its initialposition by the engagement of the end of the slot 44 with the advancedside of the pin so that asthe actuatoris either lifted or returned byspring action to'itsinitial position, the ejector armis returnedpositively to its initial position.

El i.

For the purpose of returning the actuator mechanically into its initialposition, there is provided a return spring or preferably a pair ofrelatively l'on return springs 56 and '57 which are connected by meansof an equalizing plate 58 to a pin 59 projecting from the lower cornerof the plate 20. The opposite upper ends of the sprii'igs are similarlyconnected through plate with a pin 61 projecting laterally from theactuator plate 35 his ilk)

tor restored to its initially, unclutchcd posi tion. A curved plate65'secured to the upper portion of the actuator acts as a stop forengaging the lower end51 of the package ejecting'finger to move the samepositively into I shown in Fig; 4. The continued its upstanding positionin case it become stuck-or is thrown into a horizontal position by theinertia of the end 51 when the ejector arm is returned quickly. Thisplate also constitutes part or a means for locking the mechanism whenthe reservolr is empty but this forms no part of the present disclosure.

Inorder to provide means for limiting the returno't the ejector arm, theembossment 26 'on the ad acent plate 21 1s out about lts horseshoeshaped inner edge and the material the'rebet'ween forming the tongue 66is bent at right angles and a stop screw 67 threaded throughan aperture68 pinched therein to provide an adjustable stop against whichtheejector arm is held by the springs 56 and 57.' In operation and assumingthat the parts are in the full lineposition shown in the: severalfigures it is obvious that an illegal token may be attracted by themagnet 39 and held from falling into operative position. Atoken so held.will-be moved by the advancing edge 51 against the downwardly inclinedadvanced edge 53? of the plate 53 and dropped from the machine withoutaffecting the connector.

It is also obvious that when there is in- Serted a coin of two small adimension, as is shown at Z) in Fig. 5, it will fall idly past the stopsprovided by the membersv 42 and 43 and will pass through the machine andbe returned to the operator as is known in such structures,

Should a coin of the requisite dimension as shown at C be insertedthrough the coin slot 38it will firstfall into the positionslightlyabovejthe position shown in Fig. 4 and rest mg-on the pin 42 andadvanced edgeol the stop 43 but without etlect to lift the connector. Onthe initial movement of the actuator fby downward manual pressure on thehandle 18 the stop 43 will be moved clockwise into forceful engagementwith the acent edge of the coin. The coin will thus be forcedhorizontally into engagement with the edge 53'' .WlllCll 111 turn rollsthe coinclookw se and forces the coindown. into engagement with the sideof the pin 42 swinging the pin and with it the connector from itsinoperative unclutched position shown; in dotted lines in Fig. 5 intothe position shown in Fig. 4. The coin will eventually come to rest onthe three point support provided by the pins 41-, 42 and stop 43 asshown in Fig, The manual force acting onthe actuator will be thus trans-As the'handle -18;.is lowered; the slot 15 is .of'cojurse removed frompossibility of insertion of another coin andthe,guard 19;pre-

vents. any ;acce'ss"t0 the m'echanisrn through,

the slot in the front of the casing. In moving tromitheposition engagingthe pin 42 to the end of the actuator stroke the -coin remains inposition holding the lightweight actuator in its operative positionuntil the ejectorarm has completed its actuat ng stroke and movementofthe actuator just before the end of its stroke discharges the coininto a suitable receptacleprovided therefore and not herem shown. Thefinal movement of the actuator.-

causes bolt 22 to returnconnector to itsinitial position.

The j actuator is returned to its normal inoperative position by liftingthehandle 18 orv by the spring actionashereinb'efore described- The lon'jsorin which has been.

i D I D placed under tension and elongated by this 1 movement of theactuator reacts on the actuator and returns the same to. its initialposition-andxat the same time the ejector arm is moved back into itsinitial position- .If for any reason the trippingjs finger is not in itsupstanding position, the engagement of the depending end 57 with thecurved plate 65 Wlll cause the finger to be restored to its normalupstanding positionas shown in Figs.v

4 and 5and the deviceis ready to be again actuated on the insertion oftheproper coin.

Having .thus described my invention,jI

claim: i. r V

1.. In avendin'g machine, the combination ofa mechanism containingcasing having an opening, a face plate fitted;-therein, having 1 anL-sliaped slot and provided on its rear side wit-ha curved face, anactuator pivoted concentrically of the curved rear face, said actuatorpro-v1ded, with a 'guard plateconforming in curvature to said rearfaceand in juxtaposition te the same, said guardplate provided withacoins-lot normally ac v ccssible through. one part of the slot and saidactuator provided with a handle movable along another portion of theslot, and'said guard plate acting to close the slot. In a vendingmachine, thecombination of a manually controlled, pivotally mounted Iactuator provided with an arcuate support mg means disposed concentricrelative to the axis of movement of the actuator, av rocking ejector armnormally supported-from said'arcuate means but otherwise, free of any 7directjactuating connection with the actua-- tor, said-actuatornormallyfree to swing idly 7 past the" ejector] arm, a coin actuatedcon .nectorpivoted to the ejectoiynorma'lly dis 3onnected from the ejector arm. andadapted to be moved by actuator acting th ji'igh a;

properj cointo move :the connectori nto an operatlve positionposltive'lyconnectingithe actuatorwiththe ejectorwherebya sequent movement t e"actuator i ment.

direction will cause the actuator to pull 7 the ejector arm on itspackage ejecting movel 3. In a vending machine, the combination of amanually controlled, pivotally mounted actuator provided with an arcuatesupport- "ing means disposedconcentric relative to the 'axisof movementof the actuator, a swingingiejector arm' normally supported from sa darcuatemeans but otherwise tree of any direct actuating connection withthe "actualtor,]said' actnator normally free to swing idly.

7 past the ejector arm, a coinactuat e'd connec- Itor pi'voted tothe'ejector,normally disco'n nected from the ejecto r arm and adapted tobeimoved due to the presence of a proper coin thereon by the actuator tomoveinto ,jan operative position positively connecting -the actuatorwith the "ejector arm whereby a subsequent movement'of the actuator inone direction willfcause the ejector arm to j move'on its packageejecting movement, and said arcuate supporting means constltuting partof a camming ineansbetween the ac tuator and ejector arm for causing theportionot the e ector arm engaging the package gto move substantially inastraightline as a the ejector arm is swung by the pnllfof the engagingconnector. l '30 4. In a vending machine, the combination of amanuallycontrolled, pivotally mounted actuator provided with an ,arcuatesupportmg means disposed concentric relative tothe axis of movement 'ofthe actuator, a swinging ejector arm normallyi supported from saidarcuate means but otherwise free of any direct actuatingconnection withthe actuator, said actuator nor1nally"free to tuat-or in one directionwill cause the ejector .arm to move on lts'packagee ecting move- In avending, machine, the combination of a manually controlled and pivotallymountedactuator, package ejecting means, a connector pivoted totheactuator and adapt ed to be moved into position to couple the 7'connector with the ejecting means, anda stop disposed in the path ofmovement of the connector when moved by the actuator, sa d connectorandstop coacting asthey come together to force the connector positivelyfrom f Y the actuator approaches the end of its packits engagement withthe ejecting means as age ejecting stroke, 7 v p 6. In a vendingmachine, thecombination of an actuator, package ejecting means,aconnector adapted to be moved into position to porting said other arm ofthe couplelthe connector with the ejecting means,

and a stop disposed in the path of movement of the connector when movedby the actuator, said connector and stop coacting to force the connectoraway from its engagement with the ejecting means and'into its normalinoperative position as the actuator approaches the end of its packageejecting stroke.

7. In a vending machine, the combination of a manually controlledactuator provided Wltll a C0111 slot, a swingmg packagee ector,

a coin 'controlled connector in the form/of a bell crank lever pivotedto theactuator and .movable bodily therewith, one arm of the actuatordisposed in the path'of the coin passing along said chute, and the otherarm of the connector provided with means for engaging the ejector toswing the same on its actuating stroke when the actuator is manipulated,and means on the actuator for supconnector when free of a controllingcoin.

'8. In a vending machine, thecombination of a manually controlledactuator provided 1 with a coin slot, a swinging package ejector,

a coin controlled connector'in the form of a bell crank lever pivoted tothe actuator and movable bodily therewith, a short arm of the bell cranklever and the actuator provided-withcoin receiving stops at the innerend of the'slot, the free end of the connector provided-with a hook endfor engaging the ejector'tol'swing the same on its actuating "strokewhen the actuator is manipulated, and

means carried by the actuator for supporting the free end of theconnector in an operative position when free of a controlling coin.

9. :In a vending machine, the combination of a pivotally mountedactuator provided with means formingalong coin passageway and having aslot concentric with its pivotal axis, apackageejecting arm providedwith a slot, a com controlpin projecting into said ling connectorpivoted to the actuator normally disposed in an inoperative position andadapted to connect the actuator with the pin onthe ejecting arm, saidconnector provided witha coin stopping pin disposed in the path of thecoin moving alongsaid passageway and said actuator provided with arelatively fixed of coin stop,'said stop and pin coacting to receive andstopthe further free movement of the coin as it is discharged from thecoin passageway and a coin so received acting as a connection betweenthe pin on the connector and the actuator to swing the connector fromits'normal inoperative position into operative position on the initialmovement ofthe actu-v ator. I

10. In a vending machine,the combination of a manually cont-rolledactuator mounted for oscillation about a fixed axis, a package e ectingarm mounted for rocking movement about an axis below the'actuator axis,a coin controlled connector pivoted to the actuator and adapted tobeengaged byf an inserted coiii, a stop disposed in the aath, ofmovement stop to move thecOnnectOr-int position to of the actuator willswing the ejector arm or the coin and saidcoin reacting against saidpositively couple the actuator with the ejecting arm whereby theSubsequent movement 3 von its actuating stroke independently "ofthepresence of the coin and means for discharg- '10 the coin prior tothe te'i mination of said ot a manually manipulated actuator mounted forreciprocatory movement in a vertical plane MIClPlOVlClQCl' with meansdefining a coin passageway, package ecting means in cluding anupstanding lever, a normally in operative connector provided with a hookend for engaging said upstanding'lever, means at p I I I Signed at NewYork, in the countyof New York and State of New Yorlnthis 27th day theinner end of saidipassageway operable through an inserted coin andcontrolled by the initial downward movement ofthe actuator on itsactuating stroke for moving the coin into engagementjwith the connectorand v advance of the actuate acting therethrough to move connector into:position to couple the actuator with the eject ing nieans whereby the"further downward izwill positively afctuate the ejecting means. 1 t

12. In a vending machine, the combination of a manually manipulatedactuator provided with means forming a coin passageway packageejectingmeans, a. normally inoperative e V connector, means at the innerend of said assa ewa rovidin a three Joint su ort.

for the coin, means including one of said coin supports operable throughan inserted coin and controlled by the initial movement of ment withsaid pin, and tripping'means inthe path of movement of the connectorforr'- ,moving the, connector fromits engagement with said pi nq ,7 a g15. In a vending machine, the combination of a package ejectingarm'having itslower end bifurcated, fixed pivoting means enment withsaid pin, and tripping means "in the path or niovementof the connectorfor removing the connector fronrits engagement cwith said pin, and astop for locating the connectorwhen removedfrom ts engagement with thepin in position clear of the pin.

of March, A. 11 1926. I 7 WILLIAM ngnnnuan'r, JR,

gaged by said bifurcated end, a pin prcjecting laterally irom StlCl arm,an actuator prothe actuatoron its actuating strokefor inoving theconnector into position to couple the actuator with the e ecting meanswhereby the further advance of. the actuator W1llp0Sll3lV6- ly actuatethe ejecting means, said subsequent actuation of the ejectin meansbeingdirect between the actuator and ejecting means and independent ofthe presence of the coin, and means for discharging the coin troni saidcoin supports prior to the termination of the actuator on its actuatingstroke. e

13 In a'vending machine, the combination of a package ejecting armhaving its lower end bifurcated, fixed pivoting means engaged by saidbifurcated end, a pin projecting laterally from said arm, an actuatorprovided witha camrning slot containing said pin anda connector pivotedto the actuator and adapted to be moved into hooked engagement with saidpin. 1 7 y 14. In a vending machine, thecombination of a packageejecting arm having itslower end bifurcated, fixed pivoting -meansengaged by said bifurcated end,a pin projecting laterally from said arm,an actuator provided with a camming slot containing-said pin and aconnector pivoted to the actuator

